Atalanta vs Real Madrid Preview

In-from Atalanta will welcome reigning European champions Real Madrid to the Gewiss Stadium this Tuesday in the sixth round of this season’s Champions League league phase.

Atalanta, who won last season’s Europa League are one of the most in-form sides in Europe this season. The Bergamo-based side come into this tie as one of three teams, alongside Liverpool and Inter Milan, yet to taste defeat in this season’s Champions League (W3, D2). As such, they presently sit in fifth place, with a place in the next round likely to be guaranteed if they win this game.

However, they’ve never beaten Real Madrid in three attempts (L3), all of which came from 2021 onwards. They have also sometimes struggled to translate their domestic brilliance into Europe this term as they’ve drawn both league phase games 0-0 at the Gewiss Stadium.

However, La Dea made it nine Serie A wins in a row by beating AC Milan 2-1 on Friday. They look ready to take revenge against reigning Real Madrid, who beat them 2-0 in the Super Cup in August.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s somewhat inconsistent start to the season was halted last Saturday as they beat Girona 3-0 to keep their La Liga title quest alive. That win was their first away from home in three games after back-to-back away losses to Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao.

The loss to Liverpool was also Madrid’s third in the Champions League this season so they come into this round just inside the top 24 – a position which would only guarantee them a knockout phase play-off place. They travel to Bergamo facing the unsavoury prospect of losing three straight Champions League fixtures in the same season for the first time.

In fact, no reigning champion has ever suffered such a fate in the Champions League/European Cup. However, Real Madrid have proven to be adept in turning up in big games and Carlo Ancelotti’s homeland in good spirits, especially with Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo expected to return as he chases a third successive away win as manager at the Gewiss Stadium.